Dark Shadows: 654
A full moon shines over Collinwood; an ill-omened moon for all who live in the great house, and for others too, for the moon changes one tortured man into an animal who only knows to kill. And on this night, that animal has found a new victim. Synopsis Joe Haskell goes to the Evans' cottage and begins collecting Maggie's things. The werewolf breaks through the window and Joe wheels around. It lunges at him and Joe screams in pain as the creature begins clawing at Joe's face. The two grapple with one another and throw each other to the floor. The werewolf lunges again and Joe manages to kick it away from him. As it comes back for a third strike, Joe picks up a pair of scissors from the floor and stabs them into the werewolf's chest. The animal howls in pain and darts out the window. At Collinwood, Maggie Evans takes note of the late hour and tells Barnabas that Joe should have been back by now. She begins to worry. In an effort to calm her nerves, Barnabas tells her that Joe probably had trouble finding some of her things. Maggie tries calling the cottage. Joe hears the phone and gets to his feet. He stumbles to the phone and picks up the receiver then collapses to the floor. Maggie calls for Joe through the phone, but nobody answers. She tells Barnabas who agrees to go to the cottage to see what is the matter. When he gets there, he finds Joe on the floor, barely conscious. His clothes are disheveled and there is blood on his face. He looks around at the obvious carnage and helps Joe to his feet. Joe revives slightly and tells Barnabas that he is all right. Back at Collinwood, Maggie is pacing back and forth in the foyer. She comes upon Doctor Julia Hoffman and asks her about Mrs. Stoddard. Julia is at a loss to explain Elizabeth's condition. She tells Maggie, "Well, there's nothing wrong with her physically. If there were, I could treat it. But we're dealing with... with an obsession. I can't even imagine the root. How did it start? Why is she so afraid that we'll all think that she's dead and bury her alive?" Julia goes upstairs to attend to Elizabeth. Barnabas returns to Collinwood with Joe and brings him into the drawing room. Maggie is stricken when she sees him and Barnabas tells her to find Julia. Joe describes the animal who attacked him and Barnabas notes the similarity between that and the creature that once stalked Elizabeth outside of Collinwood. Meanwhile, the werewolf instinctively returns to Chris Jennings' room at the Collinsport Inn. Still suffering from his stab wound, he collapses upon the floor. At Collinwood, Julia patches Joe up and applies a bandage to his facial wounds. Barnabas and she both want to call the police, but Joe disagrees. For some reason, he does not want the police involved even though the animal might attack someone else. They let the matter slide for now, but insist that Joe remains at Collinwood for the evening so Julia can observe him. Neither of them seem to notice that Joe keeps fondling a swatch of cloth in his hand. It is a piece of the werewolf's shirt that Joe tore from him during their struggle. The following morning, Chris Jennings awakens on the floor of his room at the Collinsport Inn. Looking at the state of the room, he realizes that he has turned into a werewolf again. He suddenly remembers seeing the mark of the pentagram on his cousin Joe's face, and tries calling his house to see if he is okay. Naturally, Joe doesn't pick up the phone and Chris fears the worst. Julia and Maggie go to the Evans cottage to inspect the damage. They clean up a little bit and Maggie collects her belongings. She reflects upon everything that has happened to her of late and realizes that she is now ready to step out of her father's house and move on with her life. Maggie returns to Collinwood and finds Chris waiting for her. She tells him what happened to Joe and Chris's anxiety intensifies. He shakes Maggie violently, demanding to know more. Once he settles down, Maggie tells him the whole story. When the grandfather clock in the hall chimes the hour, Chris makes a hasty retreat from Collinwood. Joe meanwhile, goes to Chris' room at the inn. He finds his torn shirt and sees that it matches the swatch of cloth that he had torn from the animal that attacked him. Chris returns and is surprised to see Joe. Joe demands an explanation, but Chris realizes that he doesn't have any time left. He yells at Joe to leave, but Haskell refuses. He tries to throw him out, but Joe, being the larger of the two, overpowers Chris and pushes him away. He tells him that he is not leaving until he understands what is going on. Chris suffers a sudden cramp in his stomach and he knows that he will soon change. He pleads with Joe one more time to leave, but Joe refuses. Resigned, he decides to allow Joe to witness the transformation. As the pain worsens, he directs Haskell to a dresser drawer which contains a pistol. He tells him that once the change occurs, Joe will understand and he will know what he has to do. Chris transforms into the werewolf before Joe's eyes and Haskell fires several shots into his chest with the pistol. The werewolf howls, but the bullets don't appear to faze him. He lunges at Joe. Cast Notes & Trivia * This episode is included on disc 4 of Dark Shadows DVD Collection 11 and disc 68 of Dark Shadows: The Complete Original Series DVD collection. * Opening narration: Julia Hoffman * Closing still: Evans cottage * Opening scene recapped from last episode's climax. * This episode was recorded on December 18th, 1968. * Alex Stevens is credited as stunt coordinator in this episode. * The werewolf appears to suffer more agony from being stabbed with a pair of scissors than he does from being shot four times in the chest. Allusions * The werewolf nearly attacked Elizabeth Collins Stoddard in episode 638. * Chris learned about the sign of the pentagram appearing on Joe's face in episode 651. The image of the pentagram is an omen, indicating that whoever bears the mark will become the werewolf's next victim. * Maggie makes reference to when her father died. Sam Evans died as a result of Angelique's machinations in episode 518. Quotes * Julia Hoffman: Well, there's nothing wrong with her physically. If there were, I could treat it. But we're dealing with... with an obsession. I can't even imagine the root. How did it start? Why is she so afraid that we'll all think that she's dead and bury her alive? * Chris Jennings: What'll I say if he answers? At least I'll know he's... all right. Alive! Why don't you say that? Why won't you admit that's what you really want to know? If he's alive! * Joe Haskell: I told you, I'm not leaving! Now whatever happens, I'm going to be in this room when it does! * Chris Jennings: All right. You're here. You stay here... and watch. And after you see what happens you will never be the same again! * Chris Jennings: Ah, Joe. Always wondered why ole cousin Chris left town and never came back. I should have stayed away. I should have stayed away. See also External Links * * * * ---- Category:1968 television episodes Category:Episodes with plot summaries Category:Chronologized